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Bush greets India on I-Day

WASHINGTON: U.S. President George W Bush has extended his greetings on India’s 62nd Independence Day. Lauding India’s path to Independence as a “great story of liberty overcoming oppression,” he said the occasion was a reminder of the “close ties” his country shared with India and the rich contributions made by the Indian-American community.

“Led by Mahatma Gandhi the Indian people engaged in non-violent protests and campaigns in the pursuit of freedom ... This accomplishment demonstrates that though freedom can be delayed, it cannot be denied,” Mr. Bush said in a statement.

In New York, the Indian tricolour fluttered in the backdrop as Consul-General Neelam Deo rang the closing bell at the world’s largest stock exchange, NASDAQ.

This is the first time a consul-general has rung the closing bell at the stock market, marking the recognition of a fast growing Indian economy.

In Herzlia, India’s Ambassador to Israel Arun Kumar Singh hoisted the tricolour. Malayalam songs “in praise of India and “the Indian flag” sung by a women group of Cochini Jews and a performance by the Namaste France group to the tunes of Bollywood tracks enchanted the gathering. – PTI

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